


telling stories to fight the dark

by lostinthefire



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Nightmares, Reading Aloud
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-11-21
Packaged: 2018-05-02 15:28:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5253485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinthefire/pseuds/lostinthefire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve and Bucky have a lazy afternoon when Bucky's mind starts trying to turn against him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	telling stories to fight the dark

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone is wondering what the book Steve is reading is, it would be Seanan McGuire's Discount Armageddon. 
> 
> And yes, the Aeslin Mice invade Bucky's dreams and it is glorious.

They're settled on the couch, Bucky laying stretched out with his feet propped up on the arm rest while Steve takes up the other corner, one of his hands idly playing with Bucky's hair. Neither of them seem intent on moving any time soon and, if he were honest, Bucky would have to admit that he's three quarters of the way asleep.

He's slipping further and further into unconsciousness when his mind starts to rebel. The crawling feeling stars to creep into his skin, his lazy thoughts become sharp edged and dangerous. Nasty thoughts of of darker times crawl forth out of the abyss, wrapping their hands around his throat and pulling him down.

_Feeding tubes down his throat, coughing sputtering. Hands locked down, frantic thoughts in his head but not reaching his body. Too pumped up with all the shit they give him to make himself move..._

He starts murmuring in his sleep, turning his head as if to somehow avoid the things that aren't actually there. There's an itching cough building in his throat and his hands are curling into fists.

Steve notices, feels Bucky shifting against him and opens his own eyes. The hand that had been in Bucky's hair moves away, careful not because he doesn't want to wake him but because startling him into awareness might not be the best plan.

Reaching over for the tablet, Steve pulls up one of the books he'd been reading, nothing too heavy or dense, a light urban fantasy that had been amusing him on and off, and starts to read aloud.

His words are firm as he says them, assured and stable. They start trying to cut through the nightmarish thoughts that are currently gripping Bucky between their teeth. It's a simple act really but it's proven useful in the past and will ideally work yet again.

Bucky's thoughts don't relinquish but they shift, mixing the weighted, jarring thoughts that his mind is spitting at him with the light words from the story, ending in a strange cocktail of feelings and images flooding his head.

He comes to when Steve touches his shoulder, then the side of his face. It's a gentle thing, so Bucky doesn't fully stir but his eyes open and he looks a little dazed for a moment before blinking and peering up at Steve who just continues reading.

Bucky laughs a little, moving his left hand to rub at his face for a moment. "I dreamed about those fucking mice." he tells him as he lowers his hand to scowl at him.

Steve chooses to ignore him and keeps reading.

Which, if he's honest, if fine enough for Bucky. The story doesn't really interest him but the rhythm of Steve's voice soothes away the edges that still exist and he settles in once again, this time with eyes open, to listen.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me elsewhere:  
> [My DW](http://rootsofthestories.dreamwidth.org) (which I use regularly)  
> [My Tumblr](http://analtarofstars.tumblr.com/) (which I am very rarely on)  
> [My Twitter](http://twitter.com/harvestgraces) (which I am on at random)


End file.
